(WILMINGTON, Del., Oct.5, 2023) — Nemours Estate, an historic gem nestled in the heart of Delaware, is delighted to announce its inclusion in a new book that celebrates the duPont family heritage of land stewardship and horticultural creativity. Fourteen members of the duPont family arrived in America from France in January 1800. Led by E.I. duPont, founder of the DuPont Company, they settled in the Brandywine Valley, between Philadelphia and Wilmington. Over multiple generations, the duPonts created magnificent landscapes and gardens that complement the verdant lands of the Brandywine including the magnificent Nemours Estate. Five of their estates—Hagley Museum and Library, Mt. Cuba Center, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Longwood Gardens and Nemours Estate—are open to the public, each a showplace of formal plantings juxtaposed with natural meadows and woodlands. Collected in one beautiful new volume, Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley commemorates the landscape legacy of the duPont family, renowned as innovative industrialists, generous philanthropists, collectors of American decorative arts, and—central to this story—heralded as “the first family of American horticulture.” Every chapter is dedicated to an individual garden, giving an in-depth tour and detailed explanation of each. Larry Lederman’s vivid photographs exquisitely capture the beauty and spirit of each place, moving through the seasons and the day from dawn to dusk. “We are honored to be featured in this gorgeous publication,” said Jean Hershner, Vice President, Nemours Estate. “This book celebrates the spectacular horticultural legacy of the duPonts in the Brandywine Valley, which is enjoyed by Estate guests in the community and from around the world. We look forward to people exploring Nemours Estate through the pages of this beautiful book and then coming to see us to truly experience what Nemours has to offer.” Nemours Estate, a stunning example of Gilded Age elegance and a tribute to the duPont’s French heritage, stands as a testament to the creative vision of Alfred I. duPont. Its expansive, formal gardens, fountains, carefully curated antiquities and elegant 77-room Mansion have made it a cherished landmark in Delaware, drawing visitors, garden lovers, and history enthusiasts from around the world. Sharing a campus with the nationally recognized Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, Nemours Estate is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information may be found on its website, www.nemoursestate.org or its social channels including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Most recently, Nemours Estate embarked on its own reemergence. With the pandemic serving as catalyst, the Estate implemented new ways to accommodate its guests, with a special focus on serving the hospital patients, families, and clinicians next door at Nemours Children’s Hospital. Today, visitors can access Nemours Estate directly from the grounds of Nemours Children’s. No reservations are necessary and patients, patient families, and hospital associates may visit free of charge to enjoy its remarkable buildings and stunning, peaceful gardens. Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley opens with a preface by Lederman that details his personal experience with the gardens, an introductory essay by Charles A. Birnbaum who writes about the du Pont landscape legacy, and a chapter dedicated to the du Pont heritage of horticulture and stewardship. Marta McDowell, a garden writer who combines a deep knowledge of garden design and horticulture with a penchant for social history, contributed the book’s thoughtful text, relating the stories of these gardens, both their history and their commitment to the future through strategies for sustainable management and growth. An impressive celebration of the du Pont contributions to American horticulture and landscape design, Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley is an important record that will be a must-have for garden lovers, landscape designers, and horticulturists everywhere. Nemours Estate will be selling copies of the new book for anyone to enjoy; it is also available online for purchase through most major retailers. About Nemours Children’s Health Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also caring for the health of the whole child beyond medicine. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org. The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org About the Authors Following a successful career in corporate law, Larry Lederman turned to photography as an avocation. From an initial focus on the forms and foliage of trees, Lederman now captures the beauty of gardens and landscapes through the seasons. He is the author of many books, including Magnificent Trees of the New York Botanical Garden, The Rockefeller Family Gardens: An American Legacy, and Garden Portraits: Experiencing Natural Beauty, all published by Monacelli, and the principal photographer for the 125th anniversary edition of The New York Botanical Garden (Abrams). Marta McDowell is a garden historian and writer whose books include Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life, Unearthing the Secret Garden, and Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life. She teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and is a featured speaker at garden clubs and horticultural organizations. Charles A. Birnbaum, FSLA, FAAR, founder, president, and CEO of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, is the editor of Experiencing Olmsted, a survey of parks and public spaces. About Monacelli As a leading publisher of illustrated books for more than twenty-five years, Monacelli has challenged the conventions of publishing to produce provocative, inspiring, and essential titles. Founded in 1994 by Gianfranco Monacelli, the organization has released nearly 600 books on architecture, art, interior design, landscape and gardens, photography, and the applied arts. Monacelli’s books have been made in collaboration with prominent practitioners and scholars ever since its inaugural title, the groundbreaking S,M,L,XL by Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau. In 2015, the applied arts imprint Monacelli Studio was launched, adding elevated books on art instruction, photography technique, and crafts to the publisher’s roster. In 2020, Monacelli joined the Phaidon family of companies.
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